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30 June 2016

We will hear all kinds of statistics about how few of the
refugees that seek safety are actually a danger to us. Those statistics are likely accurate. We will also hear the argument that we have
to get it right all the time and that they only have to succeed once. We reduce the argument of being humane to
others to numbers, possibilities, and probabilities.

In all of this I ask the same question: What is my obligation to Christ in aiding
others? I am not supposed to put my
safety first if others are in danger.
Yes I must consider the safety of others. Yes there will be a flood of scenarios and
circumstances where the answers are hard.

This is why there are very clear guiding principles for
those who follow Christ. We must love
our enemies. We must meet the needs of
those in dire straits. I have to see the
hungry as hungry, not as hungry “fill in whatever group you wish to avoid”. I must risk it all for others.

So the statistics are simple in this. 100% of the people who are terrorists are
worthy of being loved. They can and must
be stopped but not by denying the needs of others. What would be the impact of every Christ
follower acting in this way?

I cannot say that I know what the answer is here. I do not know that there must be a way to
find the true path. There must be a way
to love our enemies, protect our own, and meet the needs of our neighbors no
matter how big the neighborhood. In this
case the statistics are only used to justify avoiding one of these.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

29 June 2016

…or does it? One of
the ways in which we fail to respect the science of statistics is when we force
the data to reflect our position. This
misuse of statistics is called a statistical fallacy.

I am going to lapse into educator mode for a moment. The basis of cognitive learning is the
gaining of knowledge, leading to understanding, then to application. Statistics are used to help us understand
things. When we create statistical
fallacies we limit or even manipulate understanding.

Some of the ways in which this is done are discarding favorable
data, asking loaded questions, using biased samples, asserting a false causality,
data dredging, and many more manipulations.
There is ample reading out there on this topic if one cares to pursue
it. The point is that when we intentionally
misuse or skew data we create false understanding that leads to false
application.

The process works like this:

I believe X is true

I skew my data so that it proves X

You are told that X is true.

It should work like this:

I believe X is true.

I gather, analyze, and report honest data.

I adjust what I believe based on the honest data.

I say all this with an open an honest caveat. Some things require belief and cannot be
proven or disproven. In honesty we also
must consider that Aristotelian logic is not the only type of valid
reasoning. There are other forms of reasoning
that are valid. Truth that cannot be
found in statistics may be found in other forms of reasoning such as
metaphorical logic. We will touch on
that later.

For now we need to focus on the principle that the use of
statistical reasoning must be honest and avoid fallacies. We may gain followers through statistical
manipulation but we build our foundations on shaky ground when we do so. Those inside my faith have done this and
caused great damage.

I have a dear friend who has walked away from faith because
of this. He actively pursues proof for
his unbelief because of the harm done him by false data used to represent
God. It is necessary to view honest data. It is also necessary to realize that we
cannot prove some things. Most
importantly God does not command that we prove his existence. He requires that we follow in faith.

I was reminded by a dear friend yesterday that this is not
as easy for others as it is for me. It
is not up to me to prove that the Father wants you to see the Son Dear Reader. It is up to me to follow in love and grace so
that faith becomes an undeniable certainty.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

28 June 2016

Statistics are important.
We can use them honestly understand behaviors, opinions, and
conditions. Statistics allow us to measure
and quantify. They are a valid part of research
and understanding.

The problem with statistics is that they are subject to
abuse. It is easy to dishonestly
represent what they say and mean. It is
easy to manipulate data to get the answers we wish. Without integrity statics are a dangerous
weapon.

In this political and oddly violent season we see all kinds
of statistics supporting this or that position.
Beyond the manipulation of the data comes the inequitable application of
statistical logic to social situations.
We use percent logic to create memes that support our position but do
not allow that to be equalized across a spectrum.

I believe that it is very difficult to legislate morality
and do so equitably. It is also
difficult to measure some things equitably.
We cannot say that all things are equal statistically and have a moral
society. It just does not work that way.

I am thinking through the things that are being measured in
our society and wondering how to assure that I filter the data through
faith. I hope you will walk through some
reasoning on logic with me Dear Reader.
I always value your thoughts and questions. After all, 100% of you are precious to me.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

27 June 2016

Centrality: cen·tral·i·ty. noun. The definition of
centrality is the quality of being in or near the center or the middle. When
something is at the center of the heart of a crisis, this is an example of
something that has centrality.

This is not a common word but I heard it used
yesterday. Most of the time this word is
used by adults trying to sound intelligent.
I have never heard it used by four year old until yesterday.

My Grandson was in crisis.
He had to go to the bathroom for the third time during our two hours at
the pool. We asked him if he was
OK. We speculated aloud as to why he was
having to go so often. His answer was, “It
is centrality. When I am by the pool it
makes me have to pee.”

Whilst he was explaining this he was obviously in
crisis. I do not know how he learned
this word. What amazes me is that he
used it in context. He used it for his situation. He made three adults talk about it off and on
all evening.

It also caused me to think deeply. Do I note the times of centrality in my life
and deal with them appropriately? I was
near the center of a real crisis this weekend.
I was doing my best to handle it and still be there in ordinary
things. My mind was constantly praying
for those around me who were dealing with the crisis (I am not being cryptic
just respecting privacy).

It is in the position of centrality that as a Christ follower
I can make a difference. I can love and
support. I can care for the people at
the center and meet obvious needs. I can
just be with them and keep watch over them.
At the heart of unconditional love is being in the place of centrality
for each other. Thank you for the reminder Bastion.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

26 June 2016

We need to be able to pray with others who cannot or wish us
to pray with them. It is a privilege to
do this. It is our duty to do so in
faith that we are not violating the integrity of that faith.

Most common prayer is safe.
It is not who writes the words.
If the words are truth then they are God’s truth. When we speak the truth in faith it does not
matter if the words are ours or written for us.
It is our heart that the Father longs to hear.

I am supposed to always pray. I am required to pray for others. I try to do both of these with joy. I try to be in constant conversation with the
Father. I attempt to pray in every situation
even if it were a muted cry for help.

We must pray with those who need it. We must respect their traditions without
compromising our own faith. We need to
let go of our preferences in order to embrace the needs of others. It is rewarding and will ultimate benefit us
in following Christ.

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

25 June 2016

I do not know if “Mysteries” is the best term for the topic
at hand but it is the term we have.
There are mysteries in following Christ.
They are worth pondering. When
we use the Rosary we meditate on these to remind us of how much more God is
than we realize.

Here are the “Mysteries” as designated by tradition:

The Five Joyful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on the
Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays of Advent:

The Annunciation

The Visitation

The Nativity

The Presentation in the Temple

The Finding in the Temple

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on the
Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays of Lent:

The Agony in the Garden

The Scourging at the Pillar

The Crowning with Thorns

The Carrying of the Cross

The Crucifixion and Death

The Five Glorious Mysteries are traditionally prayed on the
Wednesday and Sundays outside of Lent and Advent:

The Resurrection

The Ascension

The Descent of the Holy Spirit

The Assumption

The Coronation of Mary

The Five Luminous Mysteries are traditionally prayed on
Thursdays:

The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan

The Wedding Feast at Cana

Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God

The Transfiguration

The Institution of the Eucharist

I think there are many mysteries that we may ponder. It is in these mysteries that we are reminded
of the power and creativity of the one we follow. It is in them that we see the uniqueness of
our faith. If we find that we must pray
in this manner it is good to keep our focus on the nature of the one to whom we
pray.

It is a mystery to me why he bothers with us, but he cleared
that up as well. The Father loves
us. “Here’s a riddle for you; find the
answer. There’s a reason for the world,
you, and I.”

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

24 June 2016

My paternal Grandmother used an expression when she would
wonder at something. She would look
skyward and say, “Glory be!” Because I
grew up in the Catholic faith I knew the prayer call the Glory Be from a very
young age. Here it is:

Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son: And to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

It is a prayer that anyone who follows Christ can pray in
good conscience. It is an excellent affirmation
of worship. It is short, simple, and
worshipful. If my intention is to
always glorify God then my intention fulfills the command the love God.

Once again if I am praying with someone who cannot I can
pray this in faith that I am doing good and not speaking words that I cannot
express with my whole heart. It is good
to be reminded that I am to glorify God in all that I do.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

23 June 2016

Let me first be clear in that I mean no disrespect to anyone
in this writing. What I am about to say
is controversial depending upon what you believe concerning the mother of
Jesus. I have expressed what I think in
the afterword of The
Foster Father of God. Feel free to
read it and share your thoughts with me.

When praying the Rosary the most frequent prayer is the Hail
Mary. Here is the most common text:

Hail Mary, full of
grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is
the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now
and at the hour of our death. Amen.

First let me say that I find the original version of this
prayer as handed down by the church fathers much more in line with what I believe:

God-bearing Maid,
rejoice, grace-filled Mary, the Lord with thee. Praised thou among women, and
praised the fruit of thy womb, because it was the Saviour of our souls that
thou barest.

The only issue I take with the extant version is the request
that Mary pray for us. Since we have
direct access to the Father through faith this is unnecessary. It does not mean that I do not value that
others intercede for me. In truth I
cherish it and ask that you do so as often as you feel compelled.

It also concerns me a bit that the rosary is dominated by
prayers to Mary. Again I am not trying
to offend anyone but the focus should always be on God. Again I feel that the earlier version of this
prayer meets this obligation.

We must not forget that Mary payed a great price for us to have our Saviour. She suffered ridicule and loss. She was there as her Son died for those who killed him. She deserves honor and respect for the woman she is.

When I pray on behalf of others I must respect their beliefs
without compromising mine. This is the compromise
I have found that works for me with this particular item. It bears repeating that what matters is that
we pray in faith.

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

22 June 2016

So we arrive at the heart of what started this
thinking. The prayers involved in
praying the Rosary are common and known by many both Catholic and not. To say that it is wrong to pray the Rosary
is something that reflects puerile thinking and makes too many assumptions to
be valid.

If we examine the actual prayers of the Rosary we may find
that there in good there into which every Christ follower may tap. The first thing to consider is what we have already
discussed; any prayer spoken in faith has validity. Another consideration is that it is healthy
to review things that we believe in an ordered manner. It can reassure us and help us to ponder new
questions in the proper framework.

The first thing we consider is the Apostle’s Creed. I had to memorize it in grade three. Here is the text:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived
by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated
at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the
dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the
holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting. Amen.

It is worthy to note a few important details here. First is that this is the earliest creed of
which we have record. It influenced the
Nicene Creed. It is first recorded in
Milan in 390 A.D. In text we should
consider a few distinctions that make it common to all.

The first is that the word “catholic” here does not refer to
the denomination of that same name but rather to the original meaning of this
word which is “universal”. It speaks to
the common connection between all followers of Christ.

Second the word “communion” refers to our common union in
Christ. We symbolize this in
celebration of bread and wine. No
matter how we dress or windows or our ceremonies if we follow in faith we are
united. We cause the divisions when we
fail to see this.

The last thought for this is that praying this creed affirms
what we believe to the Father. It
reminds us that we have a common mission.
In Christ alone we stand and work.
His command is for us to do this in love. There is no use in praying this rote. The power comes from the affirmations and
our faith in them. In that I can stand
in faith as I pray. In that there is no
shadow or doubt.

I believe in the lamb who was crucified, and hung between
two thieves.

I believe in the resurrection, on the third and glorious day

I believe in the empty tomb, and the stone that the angel
rolled away

He descended and set the captives free

And now He sits at God's right hand and prepares a place for
me

This is my creed

The witness I have heard

The faith that has endured

This truth is assured

Through the darkest ages past

Though persecuted it will last

And I will hold steadfast

To this creed

I believe He sent His spirit, to comfort and to reveal

To lead us into truth and light, to baptize and to seal

I believe He will come back, the way He went away and..

Receive us all unto Himself but no man know that day

This is my creed

The witness I have heard

The faith that has endured

This truth is assured

Through the darkest ages past

Though persecuted it will last

And I will hold steadfast

To this creed

I believe He is the judge, of all things small and great

The resurrected souls of men, receive from Him their fate

Some to death and some to life, some to their reward

Some to sing eternal praise, forever to the Lord

And through the darkest ages past

Though persecuted it will last

And I will hold steadfast

To this creed

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

21 June 2016

I do not think that I ponder enough the aspect of constant
creation. We are renewed always by the
Father. We are constantly being
recreated in his image. Every moment he
invests in every individual. We are
constant creation.

In the same way the Father desires constant
conversation. There was a time when
Bezel, my younger Son would constantly ask me questions. They were usually simple and childlike but I
never tired of his desire to know. I
also never tired of his desire to know me.

The Father is the same.
He wants us to know him in every moment.
He wishes for us to be in constant conversation with him. We formalize things too much and call it
constant prayer. It is not wrong to call
praying prayer but we do have an aspect of it that is informal. We can just talk to God and he loves it when
we do so.

If we are going to pray with those who cannot we need to be
familiar with the Farther. We need to be
in constant conversation with him. All
that we have is from the Father and he wants us to know him in all things. I would begin with just saying how I feel. It always works.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

20 June 2016

In the recent tragedy of the shootings in Orlando, Florida
many as usual have expressed their offered “thoughts and prayers” for the
victims and their families. This has
been met with a new response. Things
have been said like “keep your thoughts and prayers and ban assault weapons.”

The things that come to mind here are twofold. First is the idea that we should do anything
without prayer. I will not weigh on the
gun question here. I have often made it
clear that I abhor violence against anyone.
Others in my clan have weighed in on this better than I could.

Inside this is the idea that we can succeed at anything good
without the support of the Father. Prayer
has validity and is needed more as the world darkens. Those who follow Christ are supposed to be
in constant conversation with God. The
response we are to have to tragedy is to ask the Father to aid those in need.

This gets rejected by the masses because faith without works
is dead. Jesus’ brother explains that we
cannot wish well for someone and not act.
We dare not expect the world to hear the sincerity of our offered
prayers if we are not going to act.
People trust how they are treated.

The problem is that we are not on the front lines when
others are in need. We are not living
out the faith we profess in sacrificial undeniable ways. Until we do we have no right to expect any acknowledgement
from those who do not believe. We do
not give enough yet. We do not love
enough yet.

Another thought is that we do not look people in the eye and
engage with them. We do not tell them
that we are praying for them. We water
it down as the socially acceptable “thoughts and prayers.” If we are not confident that saying we are
praying for is evidence in our lives then we should be silent. If we are living out our faith then our
expressing that we pray out of compassion may be heard.

Our failure to live our faith erodes both the effectiveness
of our prayers and our words about faith to others. As my Grandfather used to say, “You do what
you believe. Everything else is just
religious talk.”

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

19 June 2016

I realize that I am late in the day. I had not planned this segment of this to
coincide with Father’s Day but here it is.
Please know that as a father and grandfather I truly am grateful for my
Children and Grandchildren.

When Jesus wished for us to understand more clearly how to
pray he taught us: “This, then, is how
you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom
come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily
bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

The Father wished for us to love here as he loves
there. He desires for us to forgive to
the measure that we need forgiveness. He
desires for us to depend on him. He
wants to deliver us from the power of the evil one.

The Father loves us.
We can repeat this prayer as often as necessary to understand this. As it is above we are to be below. We need to live out forgiveness and dependence
upon the Father. We must pray for
things to be as the Father wishes. We
must count on the fact that we will ultimately be delivered from evil.

When we pray for those who cannot this is what we must wish
for them. We need them to see the love
and providence of the Father. We need to
help them see their need for him. It is
in the Father that we find our place to live and move in freedom. It is the Son that leads there in faith.

He is OUR Father. He
is loving and kind. He makes no distinction
other than faith or no faith. He asks
only that we love him and our fellow travelers.
I pray for those who cannot pray to understand this. Everything else rests on this.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

18 June 2016

Recently my friend Joy posted a question about praying the rosary. She cares for a woman who used to do this
but no longer has the capacity to do so.
Rightly so Joy was concerned about doing what is right. Rightly so she felt that the Father would
allow such a thing.

When she posted about it I was happy to support her. Then I realized that there was more
here. Why do we not speak more about
praying for those who cannot pray for themselves? It is clear that we are to pray for
others. It is clear that we are to pray
for their wellbeing and their needs.

What I think we need to embrace is that we can also pray
with those who cannot pray. We do not even
have to know what they would pray. The
Spirit intercedes for us when we do not know what to pray.

Not only do we honor the Father when we do things like this
but we are caring for the “least of these” in the way Christ wishes us to care
for them. The faith we exercise when
doing benefits us as well.

Many would think that rote prayer would not be a good
thing. I would posit that any prayer, prayed
in faith is more powerful than we can imagine.
We have lost our understanding of the extreme power that prayer
holds. We may be able to learn something
about how to pray. I am going to spend a
little time on what the Rosary can do for anyone.

I am not telling anyone to do this. Neither am I saying it is what we should do
as our common practice in prayer. What I
do wish to do is acknowledge that the practice of many of my Catholic brothers and
sisters has value and examine how I might walk closer to Christ through it. Walk with me Dear Reader. Talk with me.
Pray with me.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

17 June 2016

The story of all humanity is a family story. We are all connected as a race. We are all accountable for each other. When Cain asks the Father if he is his
brother’s keeper the resounding answer is :”YES”. Jesus makes it clear that the “least of
these” is his brother and that what we do to them we do to him.

So much of the strife and hatred in the world could be
abated if we simply acted loving to our family.
We need to love at all costs. It
is not that we demand that others love us at all costs but that we determine to
love others at all costs. It is that we
dare to hate anyone that dooms us to wars and violence.

How I treat the least among us is how I treat family. How I treat the innocent is how I deal with
justice. How I treat the weak is the
statement of my true power. If we fail
to love others at any cost then we have failed to follow Christ.

We are a family. This
is a family story. We are all orphans on
a journey back to home. Until we face that
we cannot hope to end the loneliness and pain in the world. We
need to seek to love rather than to be loved.
It is in this that we can find peace.
It is in this that we can find the power to end suffering.

No matter how I express hatred I am wrong. It is not hatred or prejudice to disagree
about social or moral issues. It is
wrong to fail to actively love those with whom you disagree. Murdering anyone from the unborn to the
infidel is just wrong. Allowing anyone
to starve no matter what their social or national status is unloving. Denying the healthcare needs of anyone no
matter what you think of his or her life choices is failure to be compassionate
and kind.

Until we choose to love we will choose to hate. Until we refuse to see disagreement as hatred
we will be blind to love when it is there.
I cannot call myself a Christ follower if I reject my obligation to love
anyone. It really is that simple. Anything that works to complicate it is smoke
and mirrors.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

16 June 2016

Some of the family we create is under a belief or
cause. We band together for a
purpose. It may be social, political, or
leisure. It can range from the great
social cause to the support of a local team.
We band and bond around things and events.

These things are good when they unite us. They can provide comrades and solidarity in
a way that is healthy and re-creative. It
is when our tribal alliances cause strife and division that they are dangerous.

When we use our alliances to hate or harm others we violate
the very purpose of family. It is in
family that we are to find peace and safety.
It is in love that we are to treat everyone in and out of our selected
tribes. Instead we use these as lines of
division.

This leads to anger and darkness. It puts us at odds over things that do not
matter. It causes us to act wrongly over
things that do matter. We forget that no
matter what our alliances we are one tribe; once race. We are human.

It is in our humanity that we must realize that we can
disagree about things without harming or hating each other. As a Christ follower I am commanded to love
everyone including Yankee fans (insert laughter here). I must
care for the needs of those with whom I disagree.

If there is division over a social issue then I must assure
that in my disagreement I do not neglect the needs of others. Recently I have seen a social meme that says,
“If your religion tells you to hate then you need a new religion.” Perhaps we should replace the word “religion”
with “tribe”, “clan”, or “anything”. If
anything tells you to hate then you need a new anything.

An honest examination of Jesus reveals that he commands us
to love always. He does not allow us to
reject anyone. We are to love at all
times both the Father and all humans. The
journey requires that we journey together.
It is much easier if we do so in love.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

15 June 2016

When I was still teaching one of the students whose life was
vastly improved by getting a new career referred to the collective body of
staff and students as his family. He
would look a people and simply say “We family.”

There is something so enriching to the spirit when we
realize that someone thinks of us as family.
It is also devastating when those same people decide you are no longer
family. A friend is going through this
now and I can see the pain it inflicts.

The idea of family needs to be permanent. The Romans had a law that if you adopted
someone it could not be revoked. It is
the idea or permanent belonging that we need.
It is that touchstone of assured connection that sustains us in the
journey.

I believe that is why God represents himself as the Father;
our Father. It is why he sent the
Son. It is why followers are adopted as
sons. It is a family that the Father
redeems for his own.

It saddens me greatly that we see loyalty to family as
something transitory. We reject those we
have promised to keep as part of our clan. We dismiss those we have taken in as
family when things become hard. We are
family and the revocation of that is a pain that never fades.

We are all connected.
When the Father brings all things back to good we will realize
this. Until then I must love and forgive
and keep following. I must do so even
when those who have called me family reject me.
I must do so even when they sit with me in pain over others rejecting
them. It is what family does and “We
Family.”

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

14 June 2016

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are
important to get out. Usually I just
write them and put them in my journal folder.
I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

Today is one of those days that became significant with
promises and potential. Things
changed. Plans changed. Resolve change. Now it is rife with sorrow and momentary
reminders of hope unrealized. Some years
this annual reminder is harder to carry than others. This year it has attacked me full force
without warrant or warning.

Tears come unbidden and unwanted. They do, however, wash the eyes and the
heart. I suppose one of my gifts/curses
is that I never let go of love. On Sunday
I deeply missed my Grandfather. Today
another loss haunts me and begs me to despair.

I know that all things will be made right some day. I know that my current distress is less than
others, but it is my distress. I am
thankful for distractions and sidebars but at the end of the day it is the
same. I turn in to attempt rest tonight
feeling the pain fresh and warm instead of old and cold.

Tomorrow will have new opportunities and challenges. Tonight if I could have one thing it would
simply be to not be alone. It would be
to have a fellow traveler who could hold on to the promise to travel with
me. That is not to be but I cannot let
it bar me from giving my best to others.
I cannot let it make me bitter or unloving.

So in this absent anniversary I cry out in the darkness
knowing I am heard by the Father and loved but also knowing that dreams await
me that will torment and tear. I think
some trick in our mind prevents us from knowing the damage we leave behind when
we leave, else we would not do it.

“I wonder would it have hurt us to gather a few laurel
leaves” – James T. Kirk; Who Mourns for Adonis?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

There are family members we choose. We marry someone. We adopt a child. We become part of a group that becomes our
family. We choose some of our
family.

This is such a clear picture of redemption. We take those outside of the family and pay
the cost to bring them into that family.
Paul uses this as the metaphor for redemption. We are adopted into the family of the Father
through faith.

When we reject those we have taken in we do the opposite of
what the Father intends. He adopts us permanently. He does not reject us. When we divorce or abandon those we have made
family it rends an eternal bond. It sets
up a pattern of damage that can echo for generations.

When we offer others a place to belong we need to recognize
that it is for the long haul. It is why
there is so much legal regiment around marriage, adoption, and family. As our culture erodes these lines it becomes
easier to reject family. It becomes
harder to see that the Father will never reject us.

Our obligation is to care for those we have chosen at any
cost. Most of the time instead we harden
our hearts. In the same way, when we
reject the Father, once we have chosen him, we fragment the eternal. Once we have chosen to follow Christ we
create an eternal bond. We should not be
surprised that when we fail to do so our lives are not as they should be.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

13 June 2016

“Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older
they judge them; sometimes they forgive them.”
- Oscar Wilde

We do not get to choose many aspects of our natural
family. Parents, aunts, uncles, and the
like are part of the package when we are born.
Even our siblings are not our choice.
This is the family that we are born into.

We find as we grow that some are good to us and others are
not. We draw close to some and distance
ourselves from others. We judge and
condemn. We do not always forgive. Our obligation is to love and forgive.

We cannot control what others in our family do and how it
impacts us. We can control our response
to it. We can also control our
expectations of others. Most of the
offenses we take up against our family is the result of them not living up to
our expectations. We decide how others
should act or be and then judge them when they do not live up to those
decisions. This is preventable if we
simply stop placing expectations on others.

Often we cause strife because we are trying to get our own
needs met. The way family works is that
we need to meet each other’s needs. We
must all work mutually to care for each other.
When we focus on our own needs above others we create strife, division,
and even wars.

As a Christ follower I must love my family. That does not mean that I do everything they
wish or allow abuses. It does mean that
my interactions with them are loving and kind.
It does not mean that I accept their bad behavior. It does mean that I keep the door open when
they do good or show that they understand their errors.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

12 June 2016

My Grandfather was born in 1910. He reached the clearing at the end of the
path in 1969 just before the Braves claimed the National League pennant. He is one of the central people in my life
even today when he would have turned 106.
He is one of the primary influences of my faith, following, and the way
view the world.

In Sheetrock
on the Road. he appears often at the beginning. He is the one I think of when I need counsel and have no one to whom I can turn. He is the one who prayed for me to have faith
and did not live to see me find it. He
is the blueprint for how I wish to treat my Grandsons.

I miss him more this year than on his past advent anniversaries. His
guidance would be invaluable to me today.
When those I love are hurting I long for his words and wisdom. I find them occasionally in the writings he
left behind for me.

My progenitor, his son hated him. He rejected everything my Grandfather
believed and treated both my Grandfather and his faith with contempt. My progenitor was an abusive alcoholic and a
conman. When I look at the lives of
these two men in light of how I wish to be the answer is obvious.

The contrast of these two lives forces me daily to ponder
what my Children and Grandchildren will say about me five decades hence. It drives me to my knees to pray and to follow
Christ more closely. It is in this man
that I see the closest I have ever seen to the face of God.

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

11 June 2016

I think one of the keys to the ills in our society is that
so many fathers are no longer fathers.
They are absentee, disengaged, or not responsible. They do not engage win raising their children.

This destroys a legacy that the Father intended from the
beginning. The Father takes on the role
of father for a reason. All of human
history is intended to be a family story.
When we fail as fathers we damage the future. I am still trying to be better as a father
and my failures motivate me.

I had poor training from my progenitor. He was never a father to me. The few times he inserted himself in my life
were filled with pain. I discuss this
briefly in Sheetrock
on the Road. The point is that I was
working blind with my own Sons.

I do not know if I can mend my mistakes but I work at
it. I know that I see my Son working
hard to be a good father. What I
conclude is that fathers are vital to the fabric of our culture. As long as we have children we have
responsibility. Our society suffers
when we fail to carry that responsibility.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

10 June 2016

Family gets defined in so many ways in our culture. The common thread is that in so many ways we
yearn to be in a family. Our clan,
family, or tribe calls us from somewhere deep within us.

It is in the construct that we find belonging. It may be the natural family through which we
are born and descend. Often it is a
tribe that we join to bond with those like us.
Sometimes it is a combination of both.

As I move through this journey the tethers of family attach
and tear at odd intervals for me. The
damage that natural family can do to an individual astounds me at times. I know that I have failed at times and that
my children still suffer from it. I
know that the things with which I wrestle are because of the failures of my
forebears.

I love my family and need to mentally walk through all the
things about family that are vital to me.
I cannot change the past but I must find a way to more clearly show Christ
in my life as the thing that can heal us.

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

09 June 2016

My Grandsons and my Daughter are quite interested in the game
and cartoon Pokémon. The boys play games
and make up stories. The theme in this
entertainment that catches my attention is the theme that “You got to catch
them all.”

One of the reasons I see the church losing its effectiveness
in the world is its division. Jesus made
it clear that a house divided against itself cannot stand. We are very divided. We fight over things that are not important
to faith and following. We judge and
condemn those who do not follow Christ when he commands us love them.

Because we judge, reject, and condemn those outside of our
faith we hinder out ability to “catch them all.” We hinder our ability to reach others when we
reject them. We do not earn the right to
be heard when we judge others. We fail
to love and so cannot reach others with the Gospel.

What is the solution to this? The obvious one would be for Christ followers
to stop acting in ways that are unloving.
It is our obligation. It is our
primary command from our Divine Master. It
is why we are given power and authority.
It is what we are supposed to embody as Christ followers.

To those who do not share my faith I offer this. First I ask that you not judge us all based
on those who do not follow in love.
Second and maybe more important I ask that you hold us all
accountable. If anyone claims to follow
Christ, insist that they love sacrificially.
Demand that they treat everyone with kindness and respect. Require us to act in a Christ like manner to
everyone.

Do not think that we have to approve of everything to act
this way. We do not. I can believe that something is wrong and
still be loving and non-judgmental to those who do those things. I do not have to approve of all your actions
to love you. I do not have to judge you
or condemn you to disapprove of your choices.
I am not required to accept everything that someone does or believes to
love him or her.

We are accountable to reach them all. I am accountable to do that in love. I ask the world to hold us all
accountable. Judge us on this
benchmark. Then notice who is willing to
wear it.

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

08 June 2016

First a gentle reminder that I hate politics is needed. I think that there are few aspects of the
election process that are not overrun by corruption and special interest. I try to avoid the subject and feel that
following Christ is to be a constant no matter what the political climate.

That said I am very concerned over the coming presidential
election. It troubles me greatly that
the two leading candidates are subject of real criminal investigations. Either of them could be arrested and indicted
any moment. Neither of them has integrity. Neither of them has a good reputation. This should trouble us all.

Please do not misunderstand.
I am not saying I am any better than them. I am saying that they are not qualified to be
president of this nation. Why do so few people see this? Why do we settle for loud and proud over
humble and articulate? Why are we
content to have greed and dishonor lead us?

Perhaps it is because it is what we deserve. Our banner of decency is torn and
stained. We no longer lead the world in
being honorable and good. We no longer
hold the lion’s share of moral value. We
deny justice to so many while screaming that it is our banner.

We judge our forebears for their wrong actions whilst justifying
our own. We cannot live with
contradictory values and hope to prosper.
We cannot pander to our own interests and divisive preferences and
survive. It is late but it is not too
late.

Those at the head of the race are not the best we have to
offer the world. There are those who
would do the job well. We need to rise
up as a nation and demand a leader worthy of the office. We have forgotten how to set aside our
differences for the greater good. Christ
followers need to set the example for the rest.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”

07 June 2016

There are so many things for which Christ followers are
responsible. We are not permitted to
abdicate any of them. We are not
permitted to relegate any of them to others sources. We are our brother’s keeper. We are to love our enemies, our neighbors,
and the Father at any cost.

This means that no matter what our moral position on someone’s
actions, we are not to deny our responsibility to meet their needs. We cannot use judgment of character as an
excuse to fail in caring for others. We
cannot abdicate the command to love unconditionally.

Whenever the church fails at this the cost is
devastating. The church is made up of
people who claim Christ. It we claim to
follow Christ and do not adhere to this then we are not following. We are instead using his name for our own
purposes. Part of loving God is refusing
to use his name for our own purposes.

The simplicity of this encompasses the entire complexity of
the world. We are to humbly, lovingly
care for others no matter who they are or what they believe. If we do this one job it changes the world. It crushes resistance to faith. It destroys hatred. It is in this one command, to love that we
find the path that is follow Christ.

If we fail to do this we abdicate all that Christ calls us
to be as his followers. I must assure
that I do this above all else. I must
become this and not abdicate it for a moment.
It was entrusted to me and is not mine to give away.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”